Blog Tour: It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames
blog tour · book reviews

Blog Tour: It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames

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Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I’m bringing you another blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours! The book I’ll be talking about today is a young adult horror that sent a shiver down my spine: It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames. If you’ve ever watched and enjoyed the horror flick The Thing, this book will be right up your alley!

Before I talk more about this novel, I want to thank TBR & Beyond Tours for giving me a spot on this tour.  I also want to encourage you to follow along with the tour, as there are a ton of incredible bookish content creators involved! You can find the tour schedule here. And, of course, I’d like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC so that I could participate. It is, as always, much appreciated!

Alright, now let’s get to the post!

  • Title: It Looks Like Us
  • Author: Alison Ames
  • Publisher: Page Street Kids
  • Publication date: September 27th, 2022
  • Genre: Horror
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, body horror, suicidal ideation, gore, depiction of panic attacks

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Indigo::
Amazon::Goodreads

The remote terror of THE THING meets the body horror of WILDER GIRLS in this fast-paced Antarctic thriller.

Shy high school junior Riley Kowalski is spending her winter break on a research trip to Antarctica, sponsored by one of the world’s biggest tech companies. She joins five student volunteers, a company-approved chaperone, and an impartial scientist to prove that environmental plastic pollution has reached all the way to Antarctica, but what they find is something much worse… something that looks human.

Riley has anxiety–ostracized by the kids at school because of panic attacks–so when she starts to feel like something’s wrong with their expedition leader, Greta, she writes it off. But when Greta snaps and tries to kill Riley, she can’t chalk it up to an overactive imagination anymore. Worse, after watching Greta disintegrate, only to find another student with the same affliction, she realizes they haven’t been infected, they’ve been infiltrated–by something that can change its shape. And if the group isn’t careful, that something could quickly replace any of them.

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Down the TBR Hole #40
down the tbr hole

Down the TBR Hole #40

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It’s time for a new round of Down the TBR Hole! This is where I go through my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ shelf and do a bit of cleaning up. If you want to see the full description of what this post is all about, check out my first round HERE.

Hello, reader!

This week is slowly winding down and I, for one, am ready for the weekend. Mostly because my birthday is on Saturday 🥳 Before I get to celebrate, though, I figured it was time to continue my TBR trimming with another round of Down the TBR Hole! I’ve been good… I’ve only managed to add one book to my TBR since I last did this post! I ended with 702 books on my ‘Want to Read’ shelf last round, so I’m back up to 703 books. I feel like I’m in a holding pattern around the low 700s, haha.

Let’s see if I can get below that number this round, eh?

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Oh I’m definitely keeping this. This is the first book that got me interested in Grady Hendrix because of the unique format. I mean, it’s a horror story set in an IKEA-like store and the book is formatted in an IKEA-like catalogue style! I have to read this. Eventually 😅

Verdict: Keep

A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

Look. I was quite happy with where the original Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children series ended. I thought I was done and I thought it wrapped up well. And then a whole slew of new books were dropped on us! I added this because of how much I enjoyed the first three books. If I’m honest with myself, though, I don’t think I’m that eager to continue.

Verdict: Remove

Continue reading “Down the TBR Hole #40” →
WWW Wednesday: Sep 14, 2022
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WWW Wednesday: Sep 14, 2022

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

  • It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames: Holy $#^!, this book is freaky! And it dumps you right into the frights, too! I’m loving how intense and strange this story is, so far, and I may have stayed up way too late last night because I needed to know what happened next. This is a young adult horror that is set in Antarctica where a group of teens are tasked with helping collect ice samples. Of course, that all goes horribly wrong when a monster finds its way to them. The setting and the monster combine in a way that makes it truly spooky and this author knows how to write a creepy scene. I can’t wait to continue!
  • Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim: I’m finally finishing the Blood of the Stars duology! I read Spin the Dawn forever ago and truly enjoyed it. Now it’s time to complete the series by finishing this one. So far, the writing is just as good as the first book. I’m excited to pick up Maia’s story where it left off and it certainly starts off in an exciting, if dangerous, way! Looking forward to finishing this one up this week.
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Top 5 Tuesday: Dramatic Bookworm Problems
top 5 tuesday

Top 5 Tuesday: Dramatic Bookworm Problems

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Top 5 Tuesday is a fun, weekly meme that asks you to pick 5 books that fit that week’s theme. It was created by Bionic Bookworm and is currently being hosted by Meeghan Reads. You should check out their wonderful blog for more details and the list of prompts!

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another Top 5 Tuesday! I’m really loving the prompts for September because, rather than being strictly about books, it’s about bookish things. Take, for instance, this week’s prompt. Today, I’ll be sharing my top five dramatic bookworm problems!

So buckle up because I’m about to rant 😂

#1. Falling out of love with a series… and it’s not even complete

This has happened to me a couple of time and one of the series is an epic fantasy standard. That’s right… I’m talking about the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan 😬 Look. When I read The Eye of the World, I was all in. I was D E D I C A T E D. I think I read the first book when there were only five books out and I did not realize how much longer the series was going to be. But that’s not why I stopped reading. I stopped reading because I just got bored. I felt like nothing was happening, nothing was moving forward, and, at the time, there was no end in sight! So I just stopped buying the books. Now that there is an end to the story, I have to admit I’m curious about revisiting the series. Especially since it was finished with the help of Brandon Sanderson. I’d have to start from the very beginning, though, and the thought is just daunting, haha. We’ll see…

#2. Reading one of your most anticipated reads… and being super underwhelmed

This has legit only happened to me once, but the feeling was such that I hope it never happens again 😩 I was so hyped for Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart. SO HYPED. And then I tried to read it and, oof… it was not a good time. I got about halfway through and I just couldn’t make myself continue. I was, again, so bored! Smart’s writing is incredible, but it also felt a bit repetitive. It felt like nothing was happening and I was worried the entire book was going to be like that. I’m bound and determine to give it another go, though, because I’ve heard the second half gets better. I also hate not completing books…

Continue reading “Top 5 Tuesday: Dramatic Bookworm Problems” →
August 2022 Wrap Up
wrap up

August 2022 Wrap Up

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Hello, reader!

I’ve managed to get to my reading wrap up for the previous month before it is almost the end of this month! We’re making progress 😂 In my defense, I read a lot of books (for me) last month. I somehow managed to get through 20 books! The task of rounding them all up and talking about them has been daunting, to say the least.

I have to blame the two readathons I participated in last month, the Trope-ical Readathon and the Magical Readathon. They were both a ton of fun and had me tearing through books. I managed to complete my character’s classes for the Magical Readathon, though I did… less great with my Trope-ical TBR 😅 I am but one, slow reader and there was no way I was getting through all those books! Still, I had a blast with both readathons and I can’t wait until the next round for each.

Alright, now let’s jump in so I can talk about all the books I managed to read in August!

Books Read

  • Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood: This was such a thrilling read! It’s an Ethiopian-inspired retelling of Jane Eyre which is one of my favorite classic novels. I was already primed to love this and it did not disappoint! I loved the world, the characters, and their messy, wonderful relationships. It also brought the creepy factor and I loved that! This would be a great read for spooky season. You can read my full review here. ★★★★
  • My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones: Stephen Graham Jones has a way of writing horror that makes it feel like a contemporary. This book was no different and, somehow, it totally works! I enjoyed how this was really a character study of Jade, our main character, who is obsessed with slashers and hates pretty much everything else. It was intriguing following her as she tries to convince people that a slasher has arrived at their small town. Don’t get me wrong, though… there are definitely some pretty horrific things in this book, especially near the end! It all wraps up into a weird, wonderful story that was both spine-tingling and introspective. ★★★★
  • Spy x Family Vol 1 by Tatsuya Endo: And here we see the beginning of my obsession with the Forger family, lol. I read this manga after hearing about it all over the bookish community. It sounded cute and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Immediately after finishing this volume, I binged the first season of the anime and put a hold on all the volumes available at my library 😂 It’s just so sweet! It follows a spy who needs a fake family to complete his latest mission. The people he manages to get into his fake family, however, are 1) an assassin (Yor is the BEST) and 2) a telepath (I ADORE Anya). It’s a lot of fun and I need mooooore. ★★★★
  • These Fleeting Shadows by Kate Alice Marshall: I read this book as part of a book tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. I signed up for the tour because this sounded like a gothic horror that would be right up my alley! I had a great time with this dark, brooding story. The atmosphere was on point and I loved that we got some good rep throughout the story. There’s even a sapphic love story mixed in with all the horror. This book certainly made me interested in reading more of Kate Alice Marshall’s work! You can read my full review here. ★★★★
Continue reading “August 2022 Wrap Up” →
ARC Review: With Fire In Their Blood by Kat Delacorte
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ARC Review: With Fire In Their Blood by Kat Delacorte

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Title: With Fire In Their Blood

Author: Kat Delacorte

Publisher: Penguin

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Content/Trigger Warnings: Suicide, parent death, war, fighting, grief, depictions of drug abuse

Rating: ★★★★

Book Links: TBD::Amazon::Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

With Fire In Their Blood is a simmering supernatural romance set in the crumbling Italian city of Castello, where mafia clans make the rules, dark magic pulses the streets and the sins of the past threaten to consume the present. Perfect for fans of These Violent Delights, The Darkest Minds and V.E. Schwab.

When sixteen-year-old Lilly Deluca arrives in Castello, she isn’t impressed. A secluded town in the Italian mountains is not where she saw her last years of high school playing out.

Divided for generations by a brutal clan-family war, the two halves of Castello are kept from destroying each other by the mysterious General, a leader determined to maintain order and ‘purity’. . . whatever the cost.

Lilly falls in with the rebellious Liza, brooding Nico and sensitive Christian, and sparks begin to fly. But in a city where love can lead to ruin, Lilly isn’t sure she can trust anyone – not even herself.

And then she accidentally breaks Castello’s most important rule: when the General’s men come to test your blood, you’d better not be anything more than human . . .

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Book Blogger Hop: Sep 9 – 15
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Book Blogger Hop: Sep 9 – 15

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The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Crazy-For-Books and is currently being hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. Every Friday, a new question is posted for book bloggers to answer in the coming week. The purpose of the hop is connection and community. You can discover new blogs to follow, new books to read, and you may end up with some new followers, as well!

This Week’s Question

Image by Coffee Addicted Writer

 Have you taken a look at the website and app Litsy? 

Submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews.

Continue reading “Book Blogger Hop: Sep 9 – 15” →
First Lines Friday #61
first lines friday

First Lines Friday #61

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First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?  If you want to make your own post, feel free to use or edit the banner above, and follow the rules below:

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first (I cheat a little bit here *cough*)
  • Finally… reveal the book!

If you’re using Twitter, don’t forget to use #FirstLinesFridays!

Hello, reader!

Happy Friday and, hopefully, the start to your weekend! I’m excited that I have this weekend off because it’s my best friends birthday and this will be the first time in a minute that we actually get to hang out to celebrate. I see lots of cake and drinks in our future 🥳 Before all the birthday shenanigans kick off, though, it’s time for another First Lines Friday!

Today’s featured book is one that I haven’t started quite yet, but I’m very eager to pick it up. I’m reading it as part of a book tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. When they sent out the sign up email, I read the synopsis and knew I wanted to read it. Now, let’s see if the first few lines can ramp up my excitement!

The Line(s):

“The Victoria Station burns so ferociously that the man with the binoculars can feel the heat from his perch in the helicopter.”

The Hints:

This is a young adult horror set to release later this month.

It is set deep in Antarctica.

And it has been pitched as “The Thing” meets “Wilder Girls“… so I’m intrigued!

The Reveal:

Continue reading “First Lines Friday #61” →
ARC Review: Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood
book reviews

ARC Review: Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

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Title: Within These Wicked Walls

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Genre: Fantasy/Horror

Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

Goodreads Synopsis

What the heart desires, the house destroys…

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.

Continue reading “ARC Review: Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood” →
WWW Wednesday: Sep 7, 2022
www wednesday

WWW Wednesday: Sep 7, 2022

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It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.

Current Reads

  • The Midnight Guardians by Ross Montgomery: I’m reading this book with the Middle Grade Marvels group and, so far, I’m loving it! It’s an interesting and surprisingly intense read. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that it delves into some darker topics as it is set during WWII. I’m loving our main character, Col, and I’m excited to continue with his story!
  • Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine: Speaking of intense, this book is making me uncomfortable with the stuff that’s going down. But in a good way, I guess? Because I’m absolutely enthralled by what is going on in this book! I also want to fight people for Gwen because why can’t she just live?!? UGH! Sorry… I’m getting far too worked up over a fictional character 😂
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday: Sep 7, 2022” →